Search results

We have recently seen a growing concern for business ethics and the central role key individuals play in the formative years of a business. Research has shwon that the embedding of personal values are one of the more critical and lasting contributions that a founder can make in an organisation. Research also indicates that in the modern business context, there are few accepted guidelines for moral evaluations in practical business settings. The purpose of this theoretical paper is to explore some of the moral and social elements inherent in entrepreneurship, using the basic tenets expoused by Aristotle. By revisiting the theory of virtue, we find a powerful framework for establishing organisational purpose, habitual excellence, the optimal balance for sustaining these ventures, and the people on whom they depend. For creative business practices, such as entrepreneurship and marketing, a virtue perspective offers a particularly appropriate lens.

The chapter aims to enhance our understanding of “opportunity” in the context of social entrepreneurship through a paradigm interplay juxtaposing a functionalist thematic analysis and interpretivist sensemaking. This paradigmatic contrasting identifies differences and connections in the tensions of: linearity and simplicity/dynamism and complexity; forward/backward, generalizability/situated relationality, and value-laden/value-neutral. These contrasts deepen our understanding of “opportunity” so that the theoretical and practical implications can be seen.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of information communication technology (ICT) in small rural hospitality businesses. Although ICT is often presented as a means of reducing the impact of being rural, little is known about the extent or level of use of ICT. This paper addresses these issues.

The paper employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to gather and analyse data. The study had two stages: an initial survey to determine the extent and pervasion of ICT; and a second interview stage to explore the role and applications of ICT.

The authors find that 84 per cent of the businesses use ICT effectively, mainly to provide information and improve service quality. In addition, some firms had adopted very successful methods of using the internet for sales and marketing but ignored supply functions. The authors were surprised to find that ICT was seen as a way of enhancing personal service and that rather than a barrier, it was seen to promote quality of service. Moreover the respondents did seem to have used ICT effectively to overcome the disadvantages of location and rurality.

The survey was carried out in a single rural environment and this limits its generalisability. Nonetheless, the study develops some interesting issues about the application of ICT in the rural context.

The paper identifies the benefits derived from the enthusiasm of some rural business owners. They had recognised the efficacy of computing and can provide lessons in how to apply ICT to overcome distance.

The paper addresses a gap in research and offers some insights into the application of ICT in rural areas.

This article aims to examine one aspect of Chinese culture, guanxi. Guanxi, “special relationships” has long been employed to facilitate business in China. The authors ask whether this is likely to continue in the rapidly changing environment. China's long history of insularity has created a culture and business environment considered to be uniquely based on Confucian values. Yet in the last couple of decades China has opened its doors to globalisation. These forces, in conjunction with what many see as Confucian dynamism of Chinese entrepreneurship, have generated economic growth levels in excess of 11 per cent per annum. This blending of the old and the new raises questions about how practices may be changing.

The authors employed a survey of two groups; middle managers in Hong Kong and young middle class in mainland China. These groups represent the modern, Hong Kong as westernised; the old, but with new perspectives, the affluent middle classes of present day China. Open‐ended questions about perceptions of understanding and use of guanxi were asked.

The research finds many contrasts between the respondent groups. The Hong Kong respondents did not really understand guanxi, but still thought it important in China. The mainland group both understood and used guanxi, but similarly to the Hong Kong group, did not like it or enjoy its use. Both groups saw a diminishing application of guanxi as China's regulatory and market environment improves.

The paper establishes that guanxi persists and may remain essential in China. However guanxi will work in conjunction with markets and regulations, rather than as a replacement.

This paper explores the links between the theory and practices of marketing and small business. The review of the literature highlights the close association of the more advanced conceptualisations of marketing, especially relationship marketing, and those of small business, particularly entrepreneurial small business. Given these theoretical similarities and the ensuing symmetry of actions and behaviours described in theory, the research question is posed, how does an appreciation of these links aid our understanding of entrepreneurial practices? The question is addressed by employing a participant observation methodology to create a case study of one small rural firm and by inductive analysis techniques. The findings show that it is difficult to disentangle or even to distinguish, the practice of relationship marketing from entrepreneurial action. This leads one to suggest that it may be useful to reconsider relationship marketing as a facet of entrepreneurship.

The purpose of this paper is to examine theories of marketing and entrepreneurship and compare these with entrepreneurial marketing practices.

The paper uses a case study to explore the social constructions of narratives.

The paper reveals how interactions based around meanings, purpose and identities work to create products, customers, entrepreneurs and even the market. Here the emphasis on signs, symbols and images redirects attention to create space for expectations to grow.

The paper develops its argument that merely modifying existing theory is conceptually inadequate; a new framework is introduced which enables the understanding of how entrepreneurship and marketing combine. The paper shows how this fertile dynamic produces not only new products, but also may actually create new markets.

This case study demonstrates how entrepreneurship and marketing become inseparable in the co‐production of identity and future.

Regulations and complying with regulation are a considerable burden on small firms, which consistently report that regulation is an obstacle to growth. Regulation for small business includes financial and psychological costs and worry about non‐compliance. Accordingly, regulation inflation raises increasing difficulties in understanding and complying with new regulation. Time and resources are diverted from running or growing the business. This paper explores self‐regulation as a mechanism for resolving the problems of regulation.

The authors first sets out the “regulation problem” as seen by the research community and by small business. The analysis explores the issues associated with small business regulation and compliance. They show that “imposed” regulation is expensive and may not be very effective. They continue by examining the nature of self‐regulation and consider a case study: the auto trade.

Self‐regulation can have beneficial effects. All regulation need not be top down control and command and self‐regulation can be effective if done well.

Self‐regulation seems to offer a number of advantages over legislation for small businesses, but it appears that a number of conditions need to be met if they are to be seen as effective. The authors discuss the implications and benefits of SFROs as an alternative way of assuring regulatory compliance.

Self‐regulation presents an attractive solution to some of the problems encountered by small business regulation through providing a credible, flexible and cost effective alternative to command and control legislation.

This paper reports on the quintessential rural small firm, the tourist service provider and explores the impact of the recent foot and mouth outbreak. A theoretical framework is employed which proposes that many rural small firms capture and commodify the values that are inherent in the countryside. Part of this process is the portrayal of image and is an essential element of the new economy of signs and symbols. This image was critically challenged during the outbreak and thus affords us a unique opportunity to examine what happens, the impacts and effects, on small rural business when the image is tarnished. The findings show that small firms in rural areas suffered badly, even in areas where there was no disease. This leads one to argue that the effects of the disease were generated, less by fact, and more by the production of image. However, it was also found that rural small firms were extremely flexible in their responses to the crisis. In turn this seems to suggest that many small rural businesses may have a particular resilience which augurs well for sustainability.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the context, approach and teaching techniques used for entrepreneurship education need to reflect the different roles that encompass enterprise.

The authors analyse and reflect upon what attributes, qualities, skills and knowledge are required for the different roles involved in entrepreneurship.

From the analysis the authors identify role typologies and argue that teaching entrepreneurship needs to produce a combination of the creative talents of the artist, the skills and ability of the artisan, yet include the applied knowledge of the technician with the know‐what of the professional. The authors then present some examples of pedagogies in entrepreneurship that might be used to develop the skills required for these roles.

The authors demonstrate why the teaching of entrepreneurship requires a combination of theory and practice.

The paper shows that a different approach to understanding entrepreneurial pedagogy may be useful for educators and students.

Presents a discussion on the nature of environmentalism and the nature of enterprise. It argues that while, superficially, these concepts might appear to be contradictory, on examination key communalities become evident. Crucially, both are recognised to be social processes which are based on the notion of value. In environmentalism the value of economic growth per se is questioned. It challenges ideas about what society should consider to be valuable; about whether quality of life is more important than standard of living. Entrepreneurship is argued to be about the creation of value, first at a social level in terms of new products or services, and second, at an individual level in terms of the production of idiosyncratic values, such as self‐satisfaction and gratification. The paper proposes, and demonstrates, by examples, that changes in social evaluations, brought about by “greening”, mean that new entrepreneurial opportunities have arisen to develop new businesses. Consequently, these new businesses are embedded in, and valorised by, the emergent social values. Given that they are also energised and motivated at a personal level they are seen to be both viable and environmentally sustainable.